PORTLAND (WGME) — Nearly all solar panels in New England will be affected by the upcoming solar eclipse.
Officials with “ISO New England,” which operates the power grid in Maine, say the abrupt lack of sunlight during the event will cause electricity production in solar panels to drop during the 2– to 3-minute blackout.
ISO New England says this is normal and you will not lose power.
“I think it’s important to realize that we encounter a very similar situation every night,” Jon Gravelin of ISO New England said. “The sun goes down every night, and we’re forced to supplement for the loss of that energy that the solar was providing. In this case, it’s happening at a more rapid pace because of the exposure of the eclipse.”
An estimated 6,500 megawatts will be lost in New England during the eclipse, but that quantity will be supplemented from other places, like power plants.
Officials say ISO New England teams use software to help keep this balance and the effects of an eclipse are easier to predict than cloudy weather.
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